Multi-day - Denmark and Sweden
Experience both sides of the Øresund combining all key location from both the North and South of Copenhagen with a trip over the Øresund Bridge to Skåne. If you want to maximize your time in southern Scandinavia, then this trip is for you. We will visit all of the key sites and habitats to maximize your chances of “ticking” off those special species or compile a long list of species.
Best time to visit
January-March - Winter is good for eagles and large birds of prey. Woodpeckers are notoriously early breeders, with black, green and great-spotted woodpeckers scattered throughout Skåne. Common Cranes travel through in their thousands. There are chances of black grouse on their lek.
April-May - Song birds mostly arrive in April and start their dawn chorus later in the period. Woodpeckers are active and feeding their young. The first breeding waders and terns arrive, including a large colony of pied avocet.
June-July - Eagles and woodpeckers become quieter. Song birds are in full feeding mode. Summer visitors such as golden oriole and cuckoo have arrived. European bee-eater has started to visit and breed recently, so hopefully this continues.
August-October - Waders are abundant, with a good day providing up to 30 species. Migration is in full swing (see Falsterbo note). Without doubt one of the highlights on the birding calendar. I have been visiting the migration hotspots each year since 2007.
November-December - Several birds of prey species along with a chance of all three woodpecker species are possible in the rolling hills and valleys. Red kite numbers swell during the winter months. Large flocks of geese are present. Chance of waxwing and nutcracker, or a special owl species or two.
Key Species
There are many different habitats in the areas North and South of Denmark as well as Skåne, including the Falsterbo peninsula, therefore the species list will the of high quality and diverse. Most of the top sites are within an hour of Copenhagen, including the key sites in Skåne.
The following “highlight” species is a small selection of species that can be seen throughout the seasons.
Birds of prey - white-tailed eagle, golden eagle, red kite, marsh, hen, pallid and montagu’s harriers, common and rough-legged buzzards, goshawk, eurasian sparrowhawk, eurasian hobby, peregrine falcon, merlin, red and black kite, common kestrel. Each year always provides one or two rarities as well.
Large selection of migrating waders. Common crane (spring) and geese (winter) in their thousands. Good numbers of black, green and great-spotted woodpeckers. Golden oriole, common cuckoo, red-backed (summer) and great-grey shrikes (winter), larks and pipits.
Large selection of song birds, warblers, gulls and terns
If you need a more accurate list for a specific month, let me know.
